Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-12-06

10 ply their trade In the District, and have further
that end, three OF whom are employees OF the Dis
trict and two representatives OF the Master
Plumbers Association, the complete revision OF
the existing regulations, taking advantage Of the
latest known Improvements and most recently
accepted laws
Plumbers Association itself submitted TO the
Commissioners an earnest petition to that end,
opposition TO this process OF ascertainment OF due
qualification by preliminary examination has been
made by certain plumbers who have contested the
right OF the District to impose this prescription,
and should IL be decided that the present provis-
ions OF law are insufficient to enable the commits
sioners to establish and enforce the principle that
the plumber should be competent person, and
that his competence should be ascertained in adj
vance and not through a series OF experiments
upon the health OF the public, 1t Is urged that
bic amendment to existing law. - 0'
The business Of the office OF the inspector Of
plumbing Increases In purri pdssu with that OF the
Inspector OF buildings and both with the increas-
ing number OF premises OF which they have Juris-
dictiOn and the service Is not the present time
suitably equipped for the discharge Of fits import
ant duties, as IL Is q matter OF 1mpossibilty for
the inspector TO satisfy himself that the plumbing
regulations have been compiled with In a great
Assistant inspectors should be provided for. and
the act OF January %, 1881, should be so changed
as 10 make 1t the duty OF the inspector TO exam
Inc not only all new houses and those In course OF
alteration but TO investigate also existing plumb
ing arrangements in houses already constructed,
and to direct such changes to be mace in them as
modern principles OF plumbing.
DISTRICT CHEMIST.
At the present time the only chemist in the
service Of the District isdesgnated in the appropria
ton act as 1.-THE Inspector ofAsphalt and Cements,"
an ONCE originally created when the construction
OF the present improved pavementS was begun.
Prof. De schmidt, who has held the Office for
many years. and rendered valuable service In the
development OF the standard asphalt pavements,
resigned during the year, owing TO Ill health and
pressure OF private occupation, and his place was
takeh by Prof Richardson.
Now that the District headquarters are pro-
visfonally established In a new building much
more suitable for It's purposes than the former one,
and possessing much greater accommodation, 1t is
desired 10 extend the duties OF the District chemist
10 embrace much wider field OF usefulness than
the one TO which he has been heretofore mainly
restricted, and the service be more assimilated to
that discharged by the corresponding officer in
other communities
For this purpose a suitable general laboratory
Is required. wherein the chemist can make such
Investigations OF matters relating to food and the
quality OF water, investigation OF poisoning
and other cognate subjects as can be made of
great beneft 10 the interests OF the District
The incumbent OF the Office is amply qualified
by training and experience for this enlarged sphere
OF work, and only needs additional assistance and
opportunity TO greatly enhance the value OF his
department.
CARE OF DISTRICT PROPERTY.
The care OF the District property is matter
which has received needed attention. and 1t Is pro-
posed to a considerable extent, to reorganize the
insufficient force, has heretofore lacked that
exact accounting OF property purchased, issued,
expended and abandoned " hich is needful for due
protection OF the District interests. The absence
or proper storage-yardS Is always serious diSad-
vantage, as 1t Is necessary to make OF streets
and public spaces for the storage Of material which
In some cases has been lost whether by accidental
covering up or the taking away by unauthorized
persons Storage-y ards, suitably enclosed and in
charge OF a keeper, are needed, and the books OF
the property Office should show accurate accounts
Of all property purchased, issued, and expended
tonai eieTca orce IN the once si1 aG
II Is believed will be more than compensated for
By the improved care Of the property and the pre-
ventton OF unnecessary loss.
EXAMINATION OF STEAM ENGINEERS.
Heretofore there has been no provision OF law
authorizing supervision of the employment OF
steam engineers in the District and the result has
been that numerous cases Of Incompetence and
inefficiency have been disclosed.
The act OF February %, 1887, was the first en-
deavor that has been made TO amend this danger
Gus condition of affairs by making provision for
the preliminary examination OF steam engineers,
bility and their subsequent licensing by the Com
mtSsiOnerS. Recommendations for the amendment
OF certain defects In this law will be made here
after 10 the proper committee, the principal points
being the lack OF effective measures for the en-
forcement OF the law In case OF failure to comply
for the payment Of the services OF the examiners
appointed by the Commissioners and the
Incidental expenses OF the service, and the ex-
son holding Federal or State license. Federal
licenses are issued only to marine engineers and
II does not follow that the person who may have
obtained marine license at some time In the past
should be entrusted with the care OF stationary
steam machinery In the District, nor that license
sarily be accepted as valid elsewhere than
within the boundaries OF that state. The
board, consisting of Messrs- Wilkerson, the
District inspector OF steam boilers, as chairman,
Daily as secretary, and Ripley, have worked faith.
fully and discharged valuable services, having ex-
plant in the District and discovered and remedied
In part at least, very numerous cases OF defec-
tive appliances and incompetent engineers. The
fees directed In the act to be collected from the
licensees have been held by the Commissioners as
special deposit in the hands OF the collector
awaiting further action by Congress- since the
law contains no instruction as TO their DISPOSE
ton 1t is presumed that 1t was intended that
these fees should go to the examiners and be
used In part 70 meet the necessary expenses of the
service. IL Is hoped that not only the necessary
corrections In the law will be made, but due COM
pensation OF the board OF examiners for their
past and future labors will be provided.
FIRE ESCAPES.
The act OF January 26, 1887, with relation to
fire escapes within the District, has also been
found In practice to contain certain defects
which materially impair the usefulness OF this
much-needed legislation.
liz order 10 comply with the provisions of the
law board was constituted, Of the building In
spector chief OF the fire department and the SUPER
intendent of the water department, who have
District coming within the purview Of the law and
under the direction OF the Commi ssoners have
made orders with regard TO the providing OF fire
escapes.
The main defect In the law is the absence of
means or enforcing IL In cases where no owners In
Zee or Tor life exist or can be found or such own
ers fail or refuse TO comply. The law contem-
plates the doing OF the work in such case by the
Dlstrct, out there Is no fund from which the
necessary expenditure can be made and the sub
sequent collection Of the lien Is not sufficient to
meet the difI1culty.
In the case OF the act OF March g. 1887 authoriz-
Ing the commissioners TO make regulations for the
construction. repair and operation OF all elevators
within the District IL has been possible to accom-
p1sh very little. There are numerous elevators in
service In the District which should not be allowed
10 continue without material alteration, but the
examination and supervision OF these requires
special knowledge OF so technical character as TO
call Tor the appointment OF an inspector of
elevators without whose aid the provisions of the
law can pc neither intelgently nor effectively ap-
piled. IL Is recommended that provision be made
In the act for the employment and compensation
OF such an onicer and authorizing the Commission
ers 10 prescribe regular inspection from time TO
time, and the collection OF suitable fee for the
service.
DISPOSAL OF GARBAGE
The present arrangements for the disposal OF
house garbage and other similar waste matters
are far from satisfactory due largely 10 the fact
that the current appropriation for this purpose IS
really nsumclent 10 enable the contractor to deal
adequately with the matter. :
Al the present time the collections are made I'm
accordance with a time schedule forming Dart